


Quitting

by Tyzulart



Series: Tyzula Shorts [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, AtLA, Azula (Avatar)-centric, Azula Joins the Gaang (Avatar), Bisexual Ty Lee (Avatar), F/F, Fluff, LOK - Freeform, Lesbian Azula (Avatar), Oneshot, Slice of Life, Smoking, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29921964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyzulart/pseuds/Tyzulart
Summary: The Gaang help Azula quit a nasty habit
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Tyzula Shorts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2200203
Comments: 5
Kudos: 79





	Quitting

'What are you doing behind the gym?'

'Nothing.'

As Suki's curious face emerged from around the corner, Azula hastily dropped her lit cigarette and squashed it under her foot.

'I heard you were quitting', Suki said, folding her arms as she came fully into view.

'I am', Azula snapped.

Suki fixed her with a knowing look.

'Okay fine, quitting outright might be a tiny bit more challenging than I had originally anticipated, but it's fine. I'm doing great.'

'Clearly,' Suki said, glancing down at the several cigarette butts scattered around Azula's feet. 

It wasn't a secret in their friendship group that Azula and Suki rarely saw eye to eye. Now though, seeing Azula look so sheepish and frustrated at herself, Suki's expression softened a little.

'Well, you know what they say is the best way to quit...', she said slyly.

Before Azula had the chance to so much as raise a sceptical eyebrow, Suki had grabbed her by the hand and lead her around the corner into the gymnasium.

..............

'This is ridiculous', Azula declared. 

She stood in the centre of the empty gymnasium in a borrowed Kyoshi Warriors sports kit. In front of her, Suki stood with her hands on her hips and a determined expression on her face.

'Oh come on', she pleaded. 'Hundreds of studies have shown that physical activity is the best way to overcome nicotine addiction! Exercise re-directs your nervous physical energy and releases endorphins.'

'I don't need to do more exercise, I already have an extremely active lifestyle', Azula complained venomously. Suki decided to let her irritable tone slide. She was trying to quit smoking, after all. 

'You might be in good shape', Suki admitted, 'but your stamina and endurance are terrible for a person of your fitness.'

Azula's eyes instantly narrowed.

'Untrue. I have excellent stamina.'

Suki just shrugged.

'Prove it.'

Azula spent the next forty minutes running sprints, skipping rope, and stepping around cones under Suki's instruction. She didn't dare show it, but Azula had to fight just to keep up with the Warrirors' captain. By the time they were done, she was completely breathless.

'See', she cried, fighting the urge to bend double as she and Suki came to a stop. 'Perfect stamina and endurance!'

Suki just laughed, wiping the barely noticeable sweat from her own brow. As Azula struggled to suppress a coughing fit, the gymnasium doors swung open and Sokka, Aang, Katara, and Toph strolled in.

'I told you she would be in here!', Sokka called, sauntering into the spacious gym. 'Hey Suki and... Azula?'

Azula, still struggling to recover her breath, just raised a hand in acknowledgement.

'What are you doing?', Katara asked as the gang made their way over to the bleachers and began to settle down.

'I'm helping Azula quit smoking', Suki said casually. Azula darted upright and shot Suki an indignant look.

'I don't need any help quitting', she snapped breathlessly, 'I was just proving a point about my fitness.'

'Sure', Toph laughed, tearing open a packet of chips and dropping a handful into her mouth.

'You know', Sokka mused in between mouthfuls of his own lunch, 'if you really want to quit smoking I've heard that you should have a cold shower whenever you think of cigarettes.'

'How practical', Azula drawled, her voice dripping in sarcasm. Sokka just shrugged.

'Oh! What about switching your cigarettes out for something healthier!', Aang suggested, moving to put his arm around Katara's shoulder. 'Like instead of having a cigarette, have a piece of candy instead!'

'Aang, candy is not a healthy alternative', Katara sighed, rolling her eyes.

'It's still healthier than inhaling literal tar.'

'Good point.'

'I don't know', Toph said thoughtfully. 'Maybe twinkletoes is onto something. Maybe the best way to quit one addiction is to replace it with another.'

'I am not addicted to cigarettes', Azula snapped. 'And even if I was, I'm not stupid enough to substitute a nicotine addiction for a sugar addiction.'

'You could use sugar-free gum', Suki suggested, taking a seat next to Sokka. 'That's how my cousin quit, he swore by it.'

'Look', Azula said raising her hands exasperatedly, 'I'm not looking for suggestions. I am doing just fine quitting on my own.'

'I saw you smoking before math earlier', Sokka interjected.

'That was a cheat cigarette.'

'What about the one you had in the parking lot this morning?', Aang asked.

'That was also a cheat cigarette.'

'What abou-'

'ALRIGHT FINE', Azula snarled, 'I've had several cheat cigarettes today. Other than those though it's going really, really well.'

Sokka and Toph struggled to stifle their laughter as Katara and Suki exchanged a slightly concerned look. Azula gave a defeated sigh and, against her better judgment, sat down with the others.

'Maybe a tiny bit of help wouldn't hurt', she said through gritted teeth. 'Like the absolute minimum possible level of help, since you are all so clearly desperate to get involved anyway.'

At this, Suki and Katara beamed and shuffled closer.

'How come you're so desperate to quit all of a sudden anyway?', Toph asked, absently picking dirt from under her fingernails.

Several sets of eyes turned to Azula, causing a rare tremor of panic to cross her face.

'Health', she said hastily.

Suki gave a sharp laugh.

'You just spent forty minutes trying to convince me you were already as healthy as you needed to be', she pointed out.

'So?'

'So, what's the actual reason?'

Azula tensed slightly, averting her gaze from the gang as a red glow began to spread on her cheeks. An excited look of realisation and disbelief spread over Sokka's face.

'Oh spirits, it's so obvious!' Sokka laughed, 'Ty Lee doesn't like smoking!'

'Alright, yes', Azula acquiesced. 'Ty Lee hates it and I promised her I would try to stop for her. I thought it would be easy at the time but Agni, it's impossible. I can't stand to let her down but I'm running out of ideas, I've tried everything.'

Suki, Aang, and Katara nodded understandingly as Sokka and Toph burst out laughing.

'God you're so whipped', Toph cackled. Thankfully, she was unable to see the scalding expression Azula shot her way.

'You should have said you were wanting to quit for your girlfriend!' Suki beamed, 'This makes it so much easier!'

Azula gave her an incredulous look.

'How so?'

'You want to quit smoking to keep your girlfriend happy. It follows that if you don't stop she will be unhappy, right?'

'Yes, I am very aware of my situation', Azula said, waving her hand irritably. 'Get to the point.'

'You just need to connect smoking with Ty Lee being unhappy with you, and then you won't want to do it anymore.'

'But I already know Ty Lee is unhappy with me smoking!', Azula snapped impatiently.

'No wait, I think I see what you mean', Sokka said, leaning across his sister to contribute to the conversation. 'You've got to take it further. Like, every time you think of smoking, think about it pushing Ty Lee into someone else's arms!'

Azula's eyes widened.

'Absolutely NOT', she yelled, her voice wavering with fury. 

'Why not?', Sokka leered, nudging the other members of the gang. 'Don't you like thinking of Ty Lee with another person?'

Toph broke into a toothy smile, realising what Sokka was doing.

'Every time you take a drag you could picture her getting with a different guy!'

'Yeah, just imagine every puff of smoke making her want to get with some sexy non-smoker instead!', Aang laughed.

'No! No, I don't want to think about that!', Azula stammered, struggling to shake the images forming her mind.

'That's why it's perfect!', Suki exclaimed, 'Just think every cigarette equates to Ty Lee getting absolutely-'

'ENOUGH!', Azula cried, her face hot with anger. 'Agni, I suppose this is what I get for taking advice from a bunch of stupid peasants! Forget I ever asked!'

With that, she stormed out of the gym, leaving the door to slam behind her. On the bleachers, the gang exchanged proud looks.

'$20 says she can't finish her next cigarette', Toph laughed.

...............

Later that day, Azula stood waiting for Mai and Ty Lee in the parking lot.

She realised her class had finished a few minutes early so, instinctively, she dug into her pocket and pulled out her pack. Placing a cigarette in her mouth, she produced a steady jet of blue flame with her fingertips and lit it. After one drag, her expression fell. The boredom in her eyes shrank to concern and then to distress and then to horror.

All she could think about was Ty Lee in bed with another person. 

Azula scrunched her eyes shut and spluttered, throwing the still lit cigarette to the ground. A shudder ran down her spine as she hastily stamped it out. She stood for a moment, staring incredulously at the smouldering remains on the floor, unsure whether to feel happy or furious. Somewhere nearby she was certain she heard Toph and Sokka sniggering.

'Hey Zula!'

Azula's head jerked up at the sound of her girlfriend's chipper voice. Sure enough, Ty Lee was bounding towards her.

'What are you doing?', she asked, tilting her head casually. Azula just smiled.

'Oh, nothing in particular.'

Ty Lee leaned to plant a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek and lingered for a moment, inhaling suspiciously.

'Were you having another cheat cigarette?', Ty Lee chuckled, raising her eyebrows in a look of mock reprehension.

'Actually, I've quit', Azula said definitively, reaching to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her girlfriend's ear.

'Really?', Ty Lee asked. Her voice was perky, but her eyes narrowed sceptically.

'Really. I have a new method and it's extremely effective.'

'Wow! That's great, Zula! What is it?'

Azula just tapped the side of her nose and winked.

'Let's just say it's all thanks to you, Ty'.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, idk why this ended up being rather long but here you go! Not really Tyzula per se either, but still fun to write. Also might be slightly topical as I am trying and failing to quit myself rn lol... As always, please let me know whatcha think!


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